It is known from imaging optics that monochromatic image quality is negatively affected by higher order aberrations. Production of aspherical lenses or reflecting lenses for eliminating or suppressing these aberrations has become known. It is also possible to compensate fixed aberrations with monolithic phase plates in order to improve image quality.
Variable lenses are known, the variability of which is based on a change in the distance between two optical elements: those for which the variability is based on a change in the refractive index and those for which the variability is based on a change in the surface curvature. The latter include those that have recently come on the market and in which the change in the surface curvature is attained in that the contact angle between a liquid and a surface is influenced by applying an electrical voltage. Such an apparatus is described for instance in the translated European patent DE 698 04 119 T2, full disclosure of which is hereby included by reference.
In known variable lenses, it is only possible to make large-range variable adjustments in the dioptric refractive power (currently, in accordance with the prior art higher aberrations can only be dynamically corrected with small amplitudes<10 μm for instance with adaptive mirrors or adaptive liquid crystal lenses). Simultaneously correcting the dioptric refractive power in the range of up to 20 D and any higher aberrations using an optical element is not previously known.
It has been determined that such known devices are inadequate in two respects: first, they only permit the dioptric refractive power to be influenced, which is not adequate for many applications; second, the quality of the optical effect in such an arrangement is not adequate for many requirements.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a variable lens that is more versatile or/and more precisely controllable.